Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-10-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-10-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to lower undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average, with a few larger consignments of attractive offerings. Calves were mostly offered in small lots or as singles. Demand was light to moderate for light offerings. Feeders in the corn-belt continue to be busy with harvest and unwilling to take un-weaned calves. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Many cows were very thin this sale and offered buyers mostly low to very low yielding carcasses. Yields on lean cows were significantly lower than last weeks sale. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows sold fully steady as packers search for these offerings to blend down all the lean product that is hitting the market. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 lower. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white, sold fully steady. However buyers purchased some thinner feeding cows to put on a holding ration for the upcoming holiday season. These feeding cows were not as attractive as the cows that were purchased last week. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week and much better than last week. Young age cows sold fully steady as buyers continue to purchase these offerings to send to southern states for fall breeding programs.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $147.15/cwt on 377 head.

Average price

$147.15

377 head · 521 lb average

Value per head Derived

$766

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$503

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small and Medium 2-3

$73.74/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−9.36

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	517	153.74	795	289
Medium 1	783	144.00	1,128	14thin
Medium and Large 1-2	514	142.36	732	38
Large 1	844	124.25	1,049	6thin
Small and Medium 2	381	105.00	400	19thin
Small and Medium 2-3	365	80.00	292	11thin

One grade step is worth $73.74/cwt here — about $503 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale377 hd

147.15

—

MT average5 barns · 3,028 hd

156.51

−9.36

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,718	80.53	1,383	78
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,648	77.29	1,274	33
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,416	63.81	903	294
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,177	46.43	546	494

Every lot, as filed

66 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,244	52.10/cwt	50.50–61.00	648	70
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,188	47.65/cwt	45.00–49.50	566	73
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,460	52.49/cwt	51.50–55.00	766	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,440	73.43/cwt	71.00–79.00	1,057	49
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,403	64.94/cwt	58.00–70.00	911	168
Bulls	—	—	1,763	83.81/cwt	79.00–87.00	1,478	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,411	61.77/cwt	55.00–64.00	872	15
Bulls	Large 1Fancy	—	1,206	101.50/cwt	101.50–101.50	1,224	6
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,216	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,216	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	980	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	1,245	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	961	134.06/cwt	133.00–135.50	1,288	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	783	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,128	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	567	134.53/cwt	133.00–135.00	763	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	523	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	821	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	381	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	632	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	464	169.88/cwt	165.00–172.00	788	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	406	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	698	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	154.50/cwt	148.00–160.00	942	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	343	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	617	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	482	169.70/cwt	168.00–171.00	818	7
Steers	Small and Medium 2-3Unweaned	—	348	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	452	6
Steers	Small and Medium 2-3Unweaned	—	414	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	435	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	383	186.69/cwt	185.00–187.00	715	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	438	163.35/cwt	160.00–163.50	715	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	436	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	746	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	300	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	623	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	594	155.82/cwt	151.00–161.50	926	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	513	167.38/cwt	159.00–173.00	859	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	181.50/cwt	181.50–181.50	771	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	528	137.57/cwt	137.00–138.00	726	7
Heifers	Small and Medium 2Unweaned	—	381	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	400	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	576	128.50/cwt	128.50–128.50	740	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	476	146.79/cwt	146.50–147.00	699	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	486	156.03/cwt	148.00–159.50	758	148
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	393	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	582	7
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	605	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	738	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,567	73.78/cwt	73.50–76.50	1,156	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,364	48.12/cwt	44.00–53.00	656	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,283	52.16/cwt	50.00–57.50	669	48
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,098	39.74/cwt	31.00–43.00	436	90
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,255	66.24/cwt	64.00–72.00	831	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,624	76.68/cwt	73.50–78.50	1,245	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,065	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,611	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	961	33.14/cwt	31.00–39.00	318	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	938	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	441	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,644	81.47/cwt	81.00–83.00	1,339	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,575	42.00/cwt	42.00–42.00	662	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,188	46.45/cwt	40.00–49.50	552	179
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,677	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	1,124	3
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,300	66.50/cwt	66.50–66.50	865	1
Bulls	—	—	1,811	71.93/cwt	63.00–78.00	1,303	17
Bulls	—	—	1,996	91.49/cwt	89.00–94.50	1,826	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,547	82.49/cwt	80.00–85.50	1,276	21
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,465	73.50/cwt	61.00–79.50	1,077	4
Bulls	—Canadian Origin	—	2,440	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,903	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	942	94.13/cwt	74.00–112.00	887	188
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,092	74.77/cwt	60.00–85.00	816	68
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	951	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	751	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	850	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	536	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	885	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	752	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,143	1,137.17/cwt	1,110.00–1,160.00	12,998	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	613	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	785	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	373	166.86/cwt	163.00–171.00	622	47
Heifers	Small and Medium 2-3Unweaned	—	365	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	292	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	920	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,201	3
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,083	126.50/cwt	126.50–126.50	1,370	3

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →